集古今佛道論衡 4.45

4.45

維唐龍朔元年。京師西華觀道士朝散大夫郭行真所造。真聞。道本虛通。義非搉結。靈智洞照。須知大歸。自古同門英秀。咸尚佛宗。叔代暗識諸生。雷奔輕侮。是不遵往哲。不讀金科。遂生此見。未曰通敏。至如張族三師。相從拜佛。陶寇兩傑。攝敬釋宗。詳于梁魏之書。備例蜀川之紀。豈非擇木而處。得至身而達性。知幾其神。悟佛性之非朽。故辯泉具。造像書經。敬勒願言陳于卷末。庶同悟士塵斯道哉。

In the first year of the Longshuo era of the Tang, made by Guo Xingzhen, Grand Master for Court Discussion and Daoist priest of Xihua Abbey in the capital. Zhen has heard: the Dao is originally empty and penetrative, its meaning not narrow or obstructed; spiritual wisdom penetrates and illuminates, and one must know the great destination. Since antiquity, the outstanding talents of the same school all esteemed the Buddhist lineage. In later, declining ages, scholars of dark understanding have rushed like thunder to insult and demean it; this is not following the former wise nor reading the golden rules. Thus they produced such views, which cannot be called penetrative or keen. As for the three masters of the Zhang clan who successively bowed to the Buddha, and the two preeminent figures Tao and Kou who maintained reverence for the Śākya lineage, these are detailed in the histories of the Liang and Wei and fully recorded in the annals of the Shu region. Did they not choose the tree upon which to dwell, attain the supreme body and realize the nature, know the subtle signs of the spiritual, and awaken to the imperishability of the Buddha-nature? Therefore, the spring of eloquence is complete; crafting images and copying scriptures, he reverently engraves his vow and sets it forth at the end of the scroll, hoping that like-minded awakened scholars will tread this path.